BBSW - Bay Area Biotech-Pharma Statistics Workshop
Issue 02  ·  October 2026
The BBSW Community Newsletter

Adapt. Connect.
Grow.

Reporting on the key ideas and events across Bay Area biotech-pharma statistics and data science.

Editor’s Note

Welcome to the second issue of the BBSW Community Newsletter. It has been an energizing few months since June: a packed in-person meetup on AI in biotech, a workshop for small-biotech data leaders, and the first joint alumni gathering of our YODA and Nexus programs. Thank you to everyone who joined, shared, and helped make these moments happen.

Whether you have been with us for years or are just finding us, there is a place for you here to connect, learn, and grow. We hope to see you at our 2026 Annual Conference, November 5–6 in Foster City.

Warm regards,George Wu, Andy Shen, Aida Yazdanparast · on behalf of BBSW

Featured · BBSW 2026 Annual Conference

The Adaptive
Data Scientist.

From Data to Impact. Our flagship annual conference returns this November, bringing the Bay Area’s biotech-pharma statistics and data science community together for two days of ideas, practical insight, and connection.

When
Nov 5–6
2026
Where
Crowne Plaza
Foster City, CA
On your phone
app.bbsw.org
Conference app

The conference app is live. Browse the full schedule, speakers, posters, sponsors, and venue details from your phone, and add it to your home screen before you arrive.

Plus a Day 0 Workshop. On November 4, kick off the conference with Agentic AI for Biometrics: From Vibe Coding to Practical Workflows, an afternoon workshop at the Genentech campus. Details are below in What’s Coming Up.

Register now Watch the video Open the app
Community & Event Highlights
What you missed, and why it mattered.
01
August Meetup: AI in Biotech
More than 100 data enthusiasts from across Bay Area biotech filled the room at Genentech for our August in-person meetup on how AI is transforming the industry. Panelists shared how they are building AI tools to accelerate every stage of drug development, encouraged everyone to start putting AI to work, and closed with a thoughtful conversation on staying relevant in a fast-changing world.
A full room of attendees listening to the panel at the BBSW August meetup at Genentech
A full house at Genentech for the August meetup.
02
YODA & Nexus: First Joint Alumni Event
On August 28, about 36 alumni gathered at Gilead Sciences in Foster City (and online) for the first joint YODA and Nexus event. A candid panel of senior leaders, Patrick Loerch, Christina Rabe, and Fabian Model, shared perspectives on career growth, leadership, AI, and decision-making that resonated strongly with the room. Attendees then traded expertise in four “One Ask, One Offer” groups before reconnecting over open networking (and a very popular Molly Tea). Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and more than 60 mentors, mentees, and peers have now benefited from the two programs.
Learn about YODA Learn about Nexus
03
Leading in Small Biotech
On August 21, BBSW hosted a complimentary workshop for senior heads of biometrics and data science at small biotechs, themed Thriving as a Data Science Leader in a Small Biotech. Over three highly interactive hours, a curated group of senior leaders joined facilitator Chito Hernandez and panelists David Zhang, Barbara Day, Ted Lystig, and Whedy Wang for a candid discussion on leadership, communication, prioritization, talent, and AI strategy in resource-constrained companies. It was a unique opportunity for peers who face the same challenges to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another.
What’s Coming Up
Mark the calendar.
BBSW 2026 Day 0 Workshop · Nov 4
Agentic AI for Biometrics: From Vibe Coding to Practical Workflows. Move beyond prompt-by-prompt coding and learn to build AI-assisted workflows that are structured, testable, traceable, and useful in real biometrics work. Genentech campus, 1:30–4:30 PM, the day before the conference. Register by October 20.
Workshop details
STAT4Onc Symposium · Nov 21–24
The 9th annual STAT4Onc Symposium, “Where Oncology and Statistics Meet,” is hosted by The University of Osaka in Japan, in person and online. Keynotes span oncology, clinical trials, bioinformatics and AI, and regulatory science, with topics from platform and basket trials and dose optimization to AI-powered biomarkers and Bayesian methods for real-world evidence. Conference Nov 22–23, short courses Nov 21 & 24.
Learn more & register
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